South Africa confirm their superiority

South Africa v West Indies (The Oval, West Indies won toss): South Africa (2pts) beat West Indies (0) by 20 runs

South Africa confirmed that they are the team to beat at the World Twenty20 with another convincing performance against West Indies at the Oval yesterday that effectively cemented their place in the semi-finals. Victors by 20 runs, their superiority was as plain as it had been against England two days earlier with bat, ball and in the field. They will take some stopping. Perhaps only Sri Lanka can manage it.

Put in to bat, South Africa posted 183 for seven - the third highest first-innings score of the tournament against pukka opposition - and it might have been 20 more had their hitting skills not failed them somewhat in the last fifth of their innings.

Lendl Simmons kept alive West Indian hopes with some audacious strokeplay but his side were never quite up with the hunt and when he fell for 77 from 50 balls the challenge fizzled out, their minds no